The Last Dance
by ssj hotaru
Summary: Love Triangles Yamato is ready to settle down with his fiancee, but what happens when an old love returns to Japan? Please read and review thanks
1. I

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AN: I have decided to split this story into chapters. I have added nothing to it so if you have already read it, there's really nothing in here that's wasn't in here before, I've just decided that it's easier if it is split into chapters, I'll be posting them as I convert them. Thank you- 

The Last Dance

Ssj_hotaru

Yamato Ishida stared across the candle lit table at Sora, the flame reflecting warmly in her soft brown eyes and giving her hair yellow and gold highlights. She glanced up at him, her cheeks and the bridge of her nose coloring as she looked back down at her hands resting on her lap. 

"Yamato, you really didn't have to do this," she started.

"Of course I did," he corrected gently. "You deserve everything I can give you and more-" he was interrupted as a waiter set a bottle down in the middle of the table, and two roses, one white and one red; in front of Sora.

"Yamato, what's this?" Sora asked, reaching out to touch the delicate petals, but paused when she spied the diamond engagement ring holding them entwined. Yamato stood slowly from his chair and walked calmly over to the other side of the table. Picking up the two roses, he gently slid the ring from the stems and held it between his thumb and index finger as if in admiration.

Then, he went to one knee and looked searchingly into her eyes. The entire restaurant turned to watch them and silence descended as Sora's eyes filled with tears.

"Sora Takenouchi, I love you, I will always love you and would consider my self the luckiest man in the world if you would spend the rest of your life with me. Sora, will you marry me?" Two tears slid down her face, her hands were shaking uncontrollably, and her mouth didn't seem to want to work. Yamato could see the emotion flash in her eyes and didn't need words, but he wanted them anyway. Finally, after several seconds of suffering, Sora pushed herself off the chair and into his arms.

"YES! YES! YES!" she cried hugging him. He pulled away enough to slip the ring on her finger and then they locked in a passionate kiss as the restaurant was filled with the cheers of everyone and a few whistles and claps.

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*~ Thursday-two weeks later at Yamato's apartment ~*

Yamato was sitting comfortably on an old chair he'd brought with him when he'd moved into his own apartment; watching his best friend Taichi as he took up as much room on the old couch that was possible with his thin frame. His new girlfriend, Kisha, was sprawled half over the part of the couch that Taichi couldn't take up, and half over Taichi himself. _I miss Sora_ he thought, wishing she'd never gone off to visit her mother; watching as Taichi and his girlfriend shoved each other around playfully, trying to get the other to make room. 

Suddenly Taichi stopped and sat up as if he'd remembered something; and then fell off the couch and onto his face as Kisha took the opportunity to have the whole couch to herself. Taichi sat up and rubbed his head, muttering curses as he glared at her. Finally, after either his eyes hurt, or he'd thought she'd had enough, he turned to look at Yamato.

"Hey, did I tell you-?" Yamato lifted an eyebrow and stared at Taichi.

"Yes." Taichi smiled and continued.

"Mimi called Kari this morning and asked her to tell everyone that she's coming back! She said she was going to give up her modeling career for singing."

Yamato's stomach did a couple of back flips before tying itself in knots at the mention of her name, and he tried to ignore the funny feeling that had started in his chest as he remembered his old friend and secret obsession from his teenage years. _I. Love. Sora! _He told it sternly, but that didn't make the feeling go away, if anything, it got worse. 

"So, when does she get here?" He asked casually, crossing his legs and unsuccessfully trying to ignore his emotions. 

"Well, she said that she was just getting on the plane when she called, so she should be here in… about an hour." Taichi answered, looking at his wristwatch. Yamato nodded.

"That's cool"

"The problem is," Taichi went on as if Yamato had never spoken. "I have to go to work now, Sora doesn't get back from that week with her mom for another day or two, Kisha doesn't have a license and Mimi doesn't know her anyway, Kari and T.K.. _can't_ drive, and Koushiro and Jyou are _already _at work." He paused for breath. "That only leaves you buddy."

"Guess it does." He replied, his stomach continuing its acrobatics. 

"Well, I've got to go change for work pal, come on Kish" Taichi said, standing from the floor and popping his back, then reaching down to help Kisha up. "Seeya 'round buddy-boy." He called over his shoulder as they both disappeared behind the quickly closing door.

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I Guess I better go get ready too. He thought, getting up to take a shower. 

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~* At the airport *~

Yamato stood leaning against the wall; Mimi's flight had just landed and he could see people getting off. _Why am I here? _He thought, _Taichi's boss is lenient, all he'd have to say is that a friend was coming back after several years of being gone and wanted him to pick her up! God, I think I still like her and they know it, that's why I'm here! _The way his thoughts were going startled him and he took a moment to analyze them. _Could I still be attracted to Mimi…? _But he never got to finish the thought as a strikingly familiar -yet somewhat more mature- female voice penetrated the normal public roar.

"Matt!" 

He glanced up to see Mimi, long, short, pink striped waving gently in the breeze, his stomach clenched at seeing her and everyone else seemed to fade into non-existence as their eyes locked. _Oh God, I do_ was his only conscience thought before Mimi dropped her baggage and threw herself into his chest. 

He wrapped his arms around her waist somewhat instinctively, and forced down a blush as he noticed her womanly curves pressing against his body. He moved his hands to place them on her shoulders and pushed her away from him enough to look her in the eyes. He looked her up and down as he would if she were his little sister. _Which is how I _should_ feel about her! _He thought self-accusingly as he tried not to notice that her shirt was cut _very _low. He saw that she was wearing a light purple and green shirt with a pair of loose jeans._ Not the type of clothes the Mimi I remember wears._ He thought, but shrugged mentally

"You look great Mimi," he said, patting her shoulder as if she _was _his sister. She smiled, but he thought it might be half forced.

"Thanks Matt, you don't look half bad yourself." He glanced sideways at her as they walked back to retrieve her discarded luggage.

"Actually, I prefer Yamato now." He said casually, bending and picking the two suitcases up. 

A light blush colored her cheeks prettily. "Oh, sorry Y-Yamato."

"It's okay, but… is this all you brought?" he asked with a laugh, "I would have thought now that you have more money, that you'd need an entire plane just to carry it all."

"Well," she said, stretching the word, "I had planned on bringing more, but I just sold it all. I figured I could buy new clothes and knickknacks here to symbolize my new life. But my furniture arrived a few days ago and my decorator was supposed to arrange everything for me."

"So it's true then, you came back to start over as a singer?" H asked as they arrived at his car, a black sports model. He fumbled with the keys while trying to juggle the two suit cases until he got the passenger side door open and then set them down in the back seat. Holding the door for her until she got in and sat down. 

He hurried around to the other side and plopped himself down in the seat and shut the door. "Yeah it's true," she said, answering his question. "I got tired of modeling, it's such a boring job, and when they actually put the picture on the magazine, it doesn't look anything like me." 

"Really, why wouldn't it look like you?" Yamato asked, glancing at her as he started the car and backed out of the parking space.

"First of all," She answered, brushing her hair over her shoulder in a gesture of annoyance. "I have several layers of cosmetics applied to my face _first_ thing in the morning, then I'm put into clothes that are two or three sizes to small for me. _That_" she said pointing to her outfit of loose fitting clothes, "is why I prefer loose clothes instead of the tight things I used to wear.

"Anyways," she continued before he could comment, "I'm placed in front of a camera and put in unnatural positions for like, EVER! And last, but _certainly _not least, my image is digitally edited, they make me skinnier, my chest and ass bigger and then make little 'corrections' to my face!" She hissed between her teeth.

"That's not cool." Yamato said sincerely, then decided to change the subject. "So where do you want to go?" She blinked at him in confusion.

"What?"

"Where do you want to go?" He repeated, "like the mall or something?" She opened her mouth to answer, but her stomach interrupted her with an audible growl and Yamato laughed softly at her amused/embarrassed expression.

"I guess that decides it for me huh?" Mimi smiled. "So what's the best restaurant in town?" She leaned back in the seat with her arms behind her head, every muscle relaxed as she stretched. _Sora would never sit like that_ he mused, _she's to uptight to relax, even when we-_

"Oh look! What about that one?" She exclaimed, sitting straight up and pointing to an expensive looking restaurant. Yamato's eyes widened a bit when he saw that it was the same one he'd proposed to Sora in. _I wonder if she knows Sora and I are engaged? _He thought, _probably not, unless Kari told her. _

"I don't really have enough money to eat here right now." He admitted shyly. Mimi smiled wider as he pulled into the lot and parked his car in the shade beneath a tree anyway.

"That's okay, I have enough pocket change for both; and don't feel bad about spending my money, I've got plenty." She swung the door open and leapt out energetically, then stood and stared at the building which had been constructed to look like a three story palace. _Which was probably what caught her attention. _He thought, coming up beside her as she grabbed his hand and pulled him along after her. _Little Miss Princess. _


	2. II

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Chapter Two

Yamato leaned back in his chair and sighed happily while he listened to Mimi talk about her life in New York. It wasn't often that he got to eat anything besides fast food and his own cooking and it was nice to have something in his stomach that wasn't made primarily of grease without cooking it himself. But although the conversation she was carrying on was interesting, it didn't require much vocalization from him and, inevitably, his thoughts turned to a different path.

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Maybe it was a mistake, proposing to Sora when I wasn't sure of my feelings for Mimi, or, in fact, her. He let his thoughts drift without interrupting them with denial, as he had done earlier. _I'm sure I love Sora, that should be obvious, or else I wouldn't have been able to stay with her this long, but it's the kind of love you have for a friend, not a lover. I'd never even been attracted to Sora before Mimi started her modeling career and moved, I'd liked Mimi; but when I thought there was no chance, I guess I just turned to Sora and convinced myself that I was in love with her. _That thought both cheered and saddened him; he glanced across the table at Mimi -who had suddenly fell silent- as she watch people dancing slowly to a hypnotic romance song. He noticed a longing in her eyes that twisted his stomach and made the food he was so content with a moment ago, feel like something hard and cold in his intestines.

Tonight was the one night a week that this particular restaurant had a live band, He had often expressed his want to come here with Sora, but her boss was an older woman -who happened to be quite infatuated with him- and refused to let her have a day off any other time than her schedule; of course, Sora was to honest to lie about being sick; she was a bad lair anyway.

Yamato couldn't stand the look in her eyes anymore, and when that song ended and the next one turned out to be another similar, he stood from the table and held out his hand.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked, raising an eyebrow without even thinking about it. He'd found from experience, that an arched eyebrow gave all women, consciously or unconsciously, the sense of mystery and excitement. He had yet to find a sensual woman who could resist that simple gesture. And, as Mimi nodded as if in trance, and placed her hand in his, it appeared she wasn't going to be that exception.

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~* At Mimi's apartment *~

Mimi opened the door to her room at her expensive apartment and sat the bag she was holding down on a table in the immediate room, laughing so hard she thought she was going to drop it. Mimi came in after her, laughing as hard as she was, and sat the three bags he'd been carrying on the table next to hers.

Suddenly, she stifled her giggles and threw her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. "That was the perfect first day back Yamato." She whispered. Throughout the day she had stumbled over that new name as if it hurt to say it. When he'd still been digidestined, he'd only allowed his friends to call him by his nickname Matt, and those he didn't consider close called him Yamato. After he'd realized that Mimi thought that it was the same, he was quick to dissuade her of that.

He put his arms around her waist and pulled her tighter to him, and the closeness brought an unexpected wash of pleasure that made his skin tingle and he fought to force it down._ I think I had a little to much wine, I'm starting to feel lightheaded_. "I'm happy you had fun." He said quietly, wondering why they were whispering. It sounded intimate to him and he felt uncomfortably anxious for something more to happen._ Don't even think about it Yamato! _He told himself sternly, _even if you do love her, you have to tell Sora first. God! The engagement! I completely forgot to tell Mimi! She doesn't even know if I'm still with her, what if she thinks I was flirting? Oh shut up Yamato, you were flirting- are flirting! Okay, I have to tell her._

"Mimi?" He said; she hadn't moved from her position, but he realized that his arms were still wrapped tightly around her waist and she probably _couldn't_ move.

"Hmm?" She answered, sounding somewhat dreamy, snuggling her head closer to his shoulder. The words, _"I have to tell you that Sora and I are engaged." _Stuck in his throat as new ones tried to force their way out, and with his mouth open, he didn't even have time to register what they were.

"I think I love you." Mimi looked up at him, shock and confusion written on her face, along with a spark in her eyes that was quickly turning to a flame and her arms tightened around his neck expectantly.

"I love you too, Yamato." _God, what kind of trouble is _this_ going to cause! _His mind screamed hysterically; but it was buried under pleasure as he smiled and leaned down to meet his lips to hers.

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*****

Yamato woke up the next morning to something that smelled like coconut conditioner and the feel of silk sheets. He stretched himself out on the strange -but unbelievably comfortable- bed, and became aware of a weight on his chest. Everything came back to him immediately and his body went limp with a strangled sob. _What have I done? _A rhetorical question not meant to be answered; from how sore he was in _certain _areas,he knew _very well _what he'd done.

He heard a sleepy groan and tensed as Mimi stirred before opening one eye halfway and crinkling her nose. He was terrified that she would be disgusted at seeing him in her bed, but she smiled warmly and cuddled up to him; he heaved a mental sigh of relief though didn't relax. _Well that's _one_ drama I'm glad I didn't encounter, I'd feel doubly bad if all this was for nothing._ Her eyes snapped open when she noticed how tense he was and she looked up at him, fear and anger warring in her eyes. But fear won out as her bottom lip trembled, though she tried to suppress it and look impassive.

"Do you regret it Yamato?" No doubt what she was asking him if he regretted and he put an arm around her shoulder comfortingly.

"No, I don't." he said smiling, "But Mimi, there's something I have to tell you-"

"Tell me what?" There was a threatening tone to her voice and he took a moment to be amused and wonder what she could actually do to make him feel threatened. But he realized that he was in a very vulnerable position at the moment and figured it best not to get her angry.

"That I love you." She smiled a relieved smile and sat up so that her legs were straddling his waist.

She flipped her matted hair coyly over her shoulder and smirked at him. "I love me too." She said, then winked and slid off of him in a tantalizingly slow motion. She stood next to the bed -not bothering to cover herself- and allowed him to get an eyeful before turning and walking towards the bathroom. She stopped just outside the door, her hand resting on the knob, and turned to look at him. "I'm taking a shower, you better hurry if you want to join me?" then she opened it and walked in.

Yamato starred at the door in confusion for a second, then blinked and threw the blanket and sheets off as far as he could, but still managed somehow to get them tangled around his legs and fall on his face. He kicked them free of his feet and stumbled drunkenly to and through the bathroom door.

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*****

Yamato was sitting on the balcony swing, Mimi curled up next to him; a blanket around both their shoulders and between them, their hair still wet from the shower. He had an arm around her waist, holding her to him, her head lying on his shoulder with his head laying on hers as they watched the rain clouds moving slowly towards the city. _This feels so perfect, I don't ever remember feeling like this with Sora. _Not even a twinge of guilt struck him at that thought.

"This feels so perfect" Mimi echoed his thoughts in a dreamy voice; Yamato smiled and held her tighter. She snaked her arms around him through the blanket and snuggled her head closer to his shoulder. "I've wanted this for so long Yamato, did you know that?" Yamato shook his head against hers.

"No, I didn't"

"I've had other lovers" She continued in that same dreamy voice. "Like four or five. My first time was about a year after I moved to America, with some guy named Justin Nicole; he was older than me, but that didn't matter. I stayed with him the longest; I learned a lot from him. The others were a mere week at most. I kept looking for someone I could just like to be around, you know, without the sex, but I couldn't find any." Now her voice took on a sad, lonely tone and he hugged her tighter.

"I've been abstinent for the last three years, pretty much gave up on finding anybody who actually appreciated me for me and not my body or _reputation_." He heard the anger and resentment when she choked out the last word and he felt a wetness on his shoulder as a single tear trailed down her face and pooled there.

"I've felt the same way since you left Mimi" he said, untangling a hand from the other and lifting her face to meet his, gently wiping away another tear with his thumb.

"Bu-ut, Sora?" _Does she know?!_ His mind thought, almost panicking; he forced himself to stay calm or, at least, appear that way.

"I turned to Sora for the same reasons that you turned to that Justin guy and those others, but she _was_ my friend and I _did _enjoy her company, so I was able to convince myself that I was in love with her." He paused a moment and then licked his dry lips with an almost equally dry tongue. "We're engaged you know, Sora and I."

"I know." She replied easily. He was surprised that she wasn't mad to say the least, but before he could ask _"how"_, she removed her hand from where it had rested at the small of his back, and replied while she pulled the blanket that had fallen off her shoulder up. "Kari told me the _good _news." You'd have had to be deaf to miss the bitterness that coated the word; Yamato was, unfortunately, not deaf, and he flinched physically at hearing it. "So tell me Yama-chan, _is_ it good news?"

He thought about the question, not wanting to say something he would later regret and finally decided. "No, not really, I mean, not now anyway. But how am I going to break it to her?" He asked, angry at his predicament. "What am I going to say?! _"Oh, hi Sora, guess what, I just found out that I don't really love you, can I have my ring back so I can give it to your best friend Mimi?"_ That's subtle." He finished sarcastically.

Mimi slapped his shoulder and wiggled around in his grasp so that she was sitting on his lap, and wrapped her long legs around his waist. "Just tell her what feels right at the time." then she placed her arms around his neck and moved his head closer to hers, the blanket still covering both of them, but no longer between, separating their bare bodies. "Want to know what feels right, right now?" She asked and then leaned down and kissed him passionately.

With his arms still around her waist, he picked her up and carried her back into the bedroom.


	3. III

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Chapter Three

Sora looked at her watch impatiently, trying not to stand up from the subway seat and pace nervously. Yamato had asked her to call before she left her mother's, but she wanted to surprise him; she had some news that just couldn't be told over the phone, but she knew if she heard his voice, it would all just spill out. Her whole body tingled with excitement and she hoped that Yamato was home, because she didn't think she'd have the patience to wait for him to get back or look for him. _I wonder how he'll take it? _She thought smiling, _will he pass out, or cheer, or cry? Will he be excited… or angry? _That last thought dashed her happy mood and she began to think of all the negative possibilities while she placed her hand on her still flat stomach.

She sighed and looked at her watch with more that a hint of dread running like water acrossed her face. _What if he suggests I get an abortion? What if he wants to put the baby up for adoption? What if he leaves me, just called off the wedding and leave? We never really talked about starting a family, what if he didn't really wanted one? God, _please_, don't let him be angry about having a child? I hope he's happy about it, I've wanted a family of my own since I was old enough to know they weren't delivered by the stork, please let him feel the same._

The subway train slowed, then came to a shuddering halt; a woman's voice announced that this was her stop. She hesitantly picked up her one suitcase and exited through the door that slid open for her, stepping off the train with a sigh of relief. She hated the stuffy things. _Now to catch a cab. _She sighed again, this time exasperated. _One bad thing about not calling Yamato, he's not here to pick me up._

She walked slowly up the steps and stood by the road, ready to flag down a taxi when they drove by. Three passed before one finally stopped and an old, fat man got out and slammed the door just as she was reaching for it. She shook her head at his manners when he shouldered past her as if she wasn't there. She pulled opened the door, casting one last look over her shoulder at the rude old man before settling into the seat.

"Where to ma'am?" the greasy haired driver asked her, looking her up and down in the rearview mirror, his eyes undressing her lustily. _Gross! _She thought, not bothering to hide her disgust. _He probably has an erection too! I think I'm going to be sick!_

"9618 Anakoku Lane please" she replied impatiently, placing her purse on her lap to feel the leather touch her bare skin. _Damn you, you had to wear the skirt didn't you Sora! _She berated herself. _No wonder the guy is practically masturbating! Yamato always told you, you had great legs, you never believed him. Well, now I guess you do._

"Money!" he gruffed, holding out a hand behind him. Sora took some bills out of her purse and made as if to give them to him. But when he snatched hungrily at them, she snapped her hand back, bringing the money just out of his reach.

"Not a cent until I arrive safely at my fiancé's apartment." She told him sternly, and made a show of sticking the bills back. The dirty, probably drug-addicted driver grunted, started the taxi, then floored onto the freeway, and Sora found herself gripping the edge of her seat and praying for her life.

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*****

Taichi walked around the corner with an arm full of presents, two from him, Kisha, and Kari, one from Takeru, one from Jyou and Koushiro, and a couple from the other group of digidestined; but for some reason, Yamato hadn't been available. They were all happy to see that Mimi had come back to Japan, and were planning a surprise welcome-back party, but he was the messenger for the first, and most intimate gifts.

He stopped infront of the door with the apartment number Kari had given him on it. He rang the door bell and hoped he hadn't gotten the numbers scrambled somehow. There was no answer and he rung the bell a second time. Again no answer. In frustration, he hit the small button as hard as he could with his index finger and pushed, keeping his finger there until it started to ache. For a long time, there was no answer; then, when he was just about to turn around and walk away, the door burst open and a woman poked her head out. Her hair looked as though it had been brushed through hastily with her hands, and a thin sheen of sweat was smeared acrossed her forehead where she'd tried to wipe it away.

It took him a few moments where he blinked in confusion at her familiar face until recognition came when she tentatively asked, "Taichi?" then squealed and threw the door open with a loud "bang!" and embraced him enthusiastically.

"Mimi! My God, I barely recognized you!" He greeted, a smile stretched his mouth to it's limit as he juggled the gifts so that they wouldn't fall. "I can't believe how much I've missed you!"

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~* before Taichi *~

"Shit!" Yamato exclaimed as the doorbell echoed into the bedroom, they both hurried to retrieve their clothing from the night before. Mimi tied a robe firmly at her waist as the bell rang a second time, she cursed under her breath and raked a hand hastily through her hair, attempting to make it look somewhat presentable. Yamato, wearing only a pair of boxers -for lack of being able to find the rest of his cloths- walked to the kitchen seemingly to find something to eat, and glanced over his shoulder as Mimi walked towards the door, she looked back at the same time then smiled and winked, "I'll get rid of em."

The doorbell rang a third time with a long, annoyed drawl that grated on his nerves. Mimi bit off another curse and sprinted for the door, wiping the sweat that had accumulated on her forehead with the back of her hand.

Yamato was just about to get two cans of Pepsi from the refrigerator, when he heard Mimi squeal and after, Taichi's voice (though not what he said). He halted in his short walk across the small room, and with something akin to panic, dashed into Mimi's bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar so that he could peer out into the common room.

Mimi led Taichi into the room and sat him down on the couch where he put his burden down on the coffee table. "Wait there while I go get something on okay?" He nodded absently, looking around the room in amazement.

Yamato saw her coming in his direction, but couldn't get out of the way before the door hit him in the side of the head. He forced down a yelp of pain and held his head in one hand while quietly muttering senselessly. Mimi placed her hands on her hips reproachfully and glared down at him as he stood half doubled over.

"Why are you hiding in here Yamato?" she asked with a hint of amusement behind her exasperated tone; loud enough that, surely, Taichi had heard clearly.

"Mimi-" he started, but she cut him off as if he'd never even tried to speak.

"Taichi is here, go out and keep him company while I find something a little more _substantial_ than a robe." She gently but forcefully pushed him out the door, then purposely shut and locked it behind him.

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*****

Taichi stared in dumbfounded shock, his mind not registering what Yamato, barely dressed, at Mimi's apartment this early in the morning meant. "What are _you_ doing here?" he asked, the question torn from him before he could stop it.

"I…hee…uh…um-" He stuttered, trying to think of a reasonable excuse. Suddenly Taichi's mind clicked into gear and his eyes widened.

"You didn't! With Mimi!? What about Sora?!" He stood up from the couch and faced Yamato, who blushed, paled, bushed again, then blanched.

"I-I-I…" Taichi gave him a stern look and he found himself trailing off.

"Why?" he asked, lowering back down into his seat, Yamato shrugged helplessly and sat beside him.

"It just…kinda happened." He said, resting his elbows on his legs, letting his arms fall limply between them.

"I thought you loved Sora?" Taichi accused, Yamato sighed and placed a hand over his eyes.

"So did I." Taichi looked at him and sighed himself, his anger evaporating.

"What are you going to do now?" Yamato brought his other hand to join his first, completely covering his face.

"I don't know." He whispered into his palms, "I'll just have to tell her and hope she doesn't take it _to_ badly."

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~* At Yamato's apartment *~

Yamato opened his apartment door that was, quite mysteriously, unlocked; but he was so tired that he was just grateful that he didn't have to fumble in the dark of the hallway for his key. Hanging his coat on a rack by the door, he didn't even remove his shoes as he walked through the short corridor that led from the entrance to the kitchen, not bothering to turn on the lights and dazzle his eyes; stumbling along from memory. But when he reached the living room, he remembered that Sora had rearranged it before she'd left for her mother's and he hadn't been home enough to memorize it. Not wanting any injuries because of his stupidity, he reached up and traveled the wall with his fingers until his hand found the switch panel and flipped it up.

For a moment, all he saw was blinding whiteness as he clenched his eyes shut; but gradually, as he squinted around the room, they adjusted and he almost wished they hadn't.

Laying on his comfortable old couch, with her head supported by limp hands, was Sora, a peaceful smile turning up the corners of her lips. He watched her breathing, her shoulders moving slowly up and down with the rise and fall of her chest. He looked over her face, beautiful in it's serenity, and wondered absently how he had ever thought that he was in love with her, in her innocence, it seemed almost a fatal sin. Sighing hopelessly, he went to fetch a blanket from a closet in his room to cover her with, but when he returned, laden with a large folded comforter, he saw that she was sitting up and rubbing her left eye drowsily.

"Yamato?" she asked, suddenly coming awake and starring at him curiously, he gulped audibly and nodded. "Yamato, where have you been, I've been waiting here since noon? It's now after…" she looked infront of her at the clock on the wall over his television. "Well after midnight." She folded her hands on her lap and leaned back into the couch.

"We… were… uh… just at Mimi's house." He said, sitting the blanket down on one of the two chairs and then claiming the other.

"Mimi? But she lives in…" Her face suddenly brightened and she leaned forward eagerly. "Is she visiting?… No, you said _her house_! Is she here to stay?" Yamato looked down at his hands as if they were the most interesting things and nodded.

"As far as we know." He replied, not meeting her eyes. She squealed with delight and he covered a grimace_. One day with Mimi's and suddenly no other girl's as perfect._ He mused silently, still studying the tiny lines on his hand like they were fascinating.


	4. IV

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Chapter Four

"_O_h I wish I had been there, it's been _so_ long, and there's so much that we could have talked about!" Sora said excitedly, thinking as she was babbling that she would invite her to the mall to go dress shopping. "She's a celebrity, she could help me plan the wedding, I could sure use her help if she's free. Do you think she'd be my Maid of Honor! I-" she cut herself off when she realized that Yamato had flinched when she'd mentioned the wedding, but instantly surmised that it was just the typical male, bored with women's obsessions with such things. She gasped when she realized that, in her excitement about Mimi's return, she'd forgotten to give him her good news. She opened her mouth, a smile stretching her face, and inhaled to speak.

"Sora?/Yamato?" they both asked at the same time, but Sora, in a hurry not to lose the moment, ran right over what he wanted to say.

"Come here." She half ordered, he nodded and rose from his chair to walk across to where she sat about five feet from him. She stood to stand infront of him and noticed that he was looking at his shoes. "Yama, look at me?" Reluctantly, he brought his eyes to meet hers, uncertainty dancing in their cerulean depths, she was so excited that she didn't spare the thought to wonder why he would feel such.

"While I was visiting my mother," she began, turning sideways and looking at a picture of him and her on their first date. "I noticed that I had skipped my monthly courses-"

"Sora, I don't really want-"

"Just listen. So I went to the doctor to see if I was under stress, or not eating right or something." Her smile grew even wider. "You want to know what he told me?"

__

****

"You want to know what he told me?" Yamato groaned under his breath, he had a vague idea about where she was headed, but he was vehemently refusing to acknowledge it, praying to every god he'd ever heard of that might listen to him that it wasn't what he profusely hoped it wasn't. But he gulped and nodded when he noticed she was watching him from the corner of her eye.

"I'm pregnant Yamato, your going to be a _Father!_"

"_Pregnant._" He whined, stumbling backwards until the back of his legs hit the couch and he collapsed dazedly into it's cushioning embrace. Her bright smile vanished and she knelt before him, clutching the knee of his slightly loose pants desperately.

"Please say your not angry Yama-chan, please?" she pleaded.

"Is it mine?" he choked out from his shock tightened throat, surprised he'd even gotten that out. He may of had a vague idea, but thinking it, and realizing it, were two different things. Her eyebrows creased in anger and she glared up at him.

"Of course it's yours," she snarled, "whose did you think it was!"

"I just remembered I left something at Taichi's house." He lied on impulse, getting up and heading for the door; feeling the need to be as far away from his fiancée as possible, and figured a walk in the cool night air would freeze his emotional chaos, allowing him to think without feeling.

"But Yamato, wait, we need to talk about…this," she finished as he seized his coat from the rack and shut the door firmly behind him. When it was evident that he had left, and the rain beat mournfully on the balcony, she curled into a fetal position on the floor and cried.

__

*****

Mimi walked to the door, her transparent black nightgown trailing along the floor behind her, the doorbell rang again and she cursed venomously, though it was put off when she had to pause to yawn. She looked through the peek hole tiredly, but her sleep fogged mind cleared immediately and she gasped when she saw who was outside. Unlatching all her locks, she swung the door open and gasped again when she saw how disheveled the person was.

"Yamato! What happened?" she demanded, passing a hand over her face in a gesture of surprise. He was soaking wet, not surprising since it had started pouring just about thirty minutes ago, but his eyes were blood shot, suggesting that not all of the water making it's way down his face was rain drops.

"Mimi I…She's…she's-" He stuttered, Mimi silenced him with a finger on his lips.

"Shush, come inside, explain it after your warm and safe on the couch with a cup of cocoa." She snatched his hand and pulled him inside before he could say anything in protest, re-locking the door behind him.

__

*****

"Pregnant!" Mimi exclaimed, jerking her head up from sipping her hot chocolate, Yamato smirked humorlessly, swirling the contents in his mug.

"That's probably much what I looked like when she told me."

"Does this mean what I think it means?" she whispered, barely audible enough for him to hear her clearly. He nodded quietly.

"I don't see anyway out of this, I can't leave the baby fatherless. I grew up in a screwed up family, I wont let any child of mine go through that." He said sadly.

"I don't care if you marry her Yamato," she lied, "we can just go back to being friends, pretend none of this ever happened, it would be okay with me."

"It wouldn't with me." He sulked, "I love you Mimi, Sora's just my friend, that's all she's ever been, but you… you're…" he trailed off, not being able to find the words to describe how he felt for her.

"Then, would you… could we have one last night together Yamato? One that I can hold close to me forever?" She leaned forward, placing her mug and his on the table with one hand while she wrapped the other around his neck and pulled his face closer to hers. She kissed him intensely, using her tongue to tease the inside of his mouth; bringing her now empty hand to join the other as she twined her fingers through his silky blonde hair. His arms circling her waist was all the answer she needed as he deepened the kiss.

__

*****

"Mimi?" he asked as soon as he'd gotten his breath back, clinging to her as if she'd fade away if he let go and her to him.

"Hmm?" she replied, her head resting limply on his chest, her short hair sticking to her forehead and him.

"Do you love me?" She tensed against him, but relaxed almost immediately.

"I…" she trailed off, and he shook her gently to bring her back from the doze she was falling into. "I…" she yawned and released her grip on him long enough to rub the sleep from her eyes before clamping back onto his arm. "I love you enough to die for you Yamato." She yawned again.

"So this means that what ever decision I come to you'll be with me on it?" he asked, she nodded against his chest and he sighed sadly. "Do you want a child?" She shrugged weakly, and her grip loosened as she drifted in to sleep. He smiled down at the top of her head and yawned himself; snuggling into a more comfortable position, he soon joined her in the land of dreams.

__

*****

Yamato crossed a word out and wrote another with a ball pen that had been in a drawer with a blank binder of lined yellow paper, and hoped Mimi wouldn't mind that he was borrowing a piece.

__

~As we danced, you held me so tight~

~For that moment…we were such a lovely sight~

No, that doesn't sound right. He scribbled that last line out and started over.

__

~For that moment, everything was right~

He ran what he had of the song so far over in his mind and figured it would do. He fumbled over the rest the same way until he had the entire thing, then went to show it to Mimi when she woke up.

"I like it!" she said happily, reading it over again. "So I'm supposed to sing this tonight with the other songs?"

"Yep, you might either want to start out with this song or end with it, personally, I think it's the best." She smiled and nodded. "Now, time for wardrobe. This is a highschool winter-formal so how about something light and metallic, glitter makeup, and …"

__

*****

Yamato sped down the highway as fast as he could with all the traffic around him; he'd stayed over at Mimi's all that day, but they'd kept it innocent and talked about the gig at their old highschool, now it was time to get there and set up. He was driving Mimi and his friend and replacement Kouta, the guy definitely wasn't a genius, but short of himself, Yamato had never seen a better guitarist. In the other vehicle, the van tailing him down the straightway, was his friend Shahal who would be recording the songs, his drummer Kaminari, keyboard was Jaberu, and Taki his female backup vocalist. Of course tonight, he'd relinquished his place infront of the microphone to Mimi.

"So this is eight songs? Am I supposed to sing _all_ of them?" Mimi asked, flipping through the eight sheets of paper.

"No" he answered, pulling the car to a stop at a red light. "There'll be a DJ there so you can only sing three, but I thought I'd give you a variety to choose from." Mimi nodded in understanding and read over the songs again.

"Okay, hmm… how about _The River_, _The Red Strokes_, and _The Dance_?" she asked as they started driving again, separating three sheets of paper from the rest. Yamato nodded.

"Those are fine." After a few more minutes of silence, they pulled up to the school infront of the gym and got out of the car, the black van coming slowly up behind them.

"It's sure been a long time since I was last here." Mimi said, starring up at the building.

"Yeah…" Yamato replied, coming up beside her, then he clapped his hands together with a smile, forgetting about Sora in the excitement that always overtook him when he was ready to go up on stage, or getting someone else ready. "Welp, lets get this stuff unloaded and set up, the DJ will start the dance off with a couple of fast songs, then you'll go up with a slow one when he introduces you." He went over to the trunk of his car while the rest of his band got out and began unloading their instruments.

He strapped the case holding his guitar over his shoulder and went to help Kaminari with his drum set as Mimi got the microphones and Taki the extra speakers that the school said they wouldn't provide. Jaberu was already inside with his keyboard talking to the DJ, asking how to set up when the rest of them got in and they proceeded to put everything in place.


	5. V

__

Chapter Five

As the last of the four fast songs ended, Yamato turned to Mimi at the same time the disc jockey was introducing her and gave her a quick kiss.

"Good luck." He said, and gently pushed her in the direction of the elevated platform.

"I've got all the luck I need." She replied, winking and blowing him a kiss over her shoulder. He smiled a sad but proud smile as she walked up onto the stage and made an announcement about how happy she was to be here. He looked to Shahal to see how everything was going and she gave him a thumbs up just before Mimi began singing the song called _The River_.

He was struck by the beauty of the song when sung by her and before the end of the first chorus he was completely enraptured, which was why he was taken entirely by surprise when a finger tapped him shyly on the shoulder. He jumped and turned around with a smile to greet whoever was there, but the smile faltered and faded when he saw who it was.

__

*****

Sora watched as Yamato's bright smile fell and he regarded her as if she was an unwelcome stranger, she felt the sting of tears behind her eyes, but willed them to go away. Her childish impulses wouldn't get in the way of what she had to say. She drew in a deep breath to speak, hoping her voice wouldn't be shaky, and pitched it low to help against that threat.

"Jyou and Koushiro said you would be playing here" she started awkwardly, "But I see that it's Mimi on the stage." She looked into his eyes as a silent entreaty to speak but he remained silent and regarded her with that same cold, emotionless stare. She held the weight of his look for several moments before finally bursting out in a desperate rage. "Damn it Yamato, you're still the father of this baby!" she yelled so that Mimi stumbled on the last verse and the entire gym fell silent with a screech from the microphone and looked at them.

__

*****

Yamato suppressed the urge to kill someone and settled with clamping his hand firmly on Sora's upper arm so that she complained and tried to pull away. He said sternly between his teeth, suppressing his own rage that was growing like a fire, trying to burn it's way out and express itself in any way. "We need to talk." She stopped struggling and followed him willingly enough out the two doors and into the sidewalk by the street.

"Yamato-"

"What were you thinking!" he exploded, she opened her mouth to answer but he ran her over. "You think I want the world to know I knocked you up? To think that the only reason I was going to marry you was because you were pregnant? That…Argh!" He threw his hands up in the air and turned away from her to get her out of his line of sight lest he take his anger at his predicament out on her. He could almost see her struggling not to cry behind him, heard the pitiful sniffles and he felt his heart hang heavy in his chest, almost immediately regretting he'd yelled at her. But where, before the last several days, he would have turned around and said he was sorry and held her, now he just stood watching as the sun slowly sank into the ocean not far from the school, forcing himself to be indifferent to her. Finally, he heard her timid voice speak up from behind him.

"_going to _marry me, Yama-chan?" He wanted to snap at her not to call him that, thinking that now would be the perfect time. _She left the opening, I probably wont get another opportunity like this, besides, she's attractive, and she'll have the gang to take care of her if she can't find herself a better lover than me, and surely her mother… Damn it! I'm just making excuses! Well, I might aswell tell her that I don't love her like that anymore atleast, she doesn't deserve to be lied to._

"Look Sora," He started "I've been thinking a lot this last week-"

"I think you've been doing more than thinking!" She lashed out at him angrily. Stunned by her sudden viciousness, he turned around and looked at her in confusion.

"What…?"

"So who was it Yamato, Jun? That eighteen-year-old blonde bitch down the hall? Or any other whore that showed up at your door with a bare stomach and a box of condoms?"

"I didn't… Not with…." He stopped and glared at her, _why am I trying to explain myself to her_, he was about to tell her as much when Taichi and Kisha came out. Taichi gave him a hostile look and Yamato didn't need to be a genius to know that it was meant to be a threat, surely he'd witnessed the scene they'd caused not less than ten minutes before.

"Come one Sora, Mimi wants to talk to you." Taichi said, giving Sora a tender smile and taking her hand, she cast a desperate glance at Yamato, as if hoping he would stop them and they could finish their exchange. He knew what she meant, he felt that if he let Taichi take her away, this conversation would never come up again. He opened his mouth to halt them as they walked back towards the gym, but some unexplained instinct stopped him and he watched Sora's eyes turn away from him in disappointment as she walked between Taichi and Kisha.

__

*****

Mimi stood in a dark, unnoticed corner of the gym where the heater was blowing warm air down on her from an overhead vent, hoping that nobody could see the terror that was eating at her and making her stomach sick. _Your about to make the worst mistake of your life Mimi, _she told her self _and how do you feel? Oh yeah, just peachy_

Finally, to her extreme discomfort, she saw Taichi come through the door and point Sora to her shadowed corner. _Sora… oh Sora! My best friend, how I hate you. _She thought sadly, watching Sora as she made her way towards her, a genuine smile dancing on her face when she spotted her, orange/red hair (turned purple from the neon) cut short and flared up in the back, brown eyes red from tears.

Mimi couldn't help but be envious, for it was obvious she was crying, but unlike herself, who got blotchy and ugly when she cried, Sora looked more beautiful than before. _Almost like a saint. _She stepped out of the shadows and walked into Sora's outstretched arms reluctantly, stiffly returning the hug.

"It's been so long…" Sora said in a trembling voice and Mimi felt tears come to her own eyes when she realized that if she did what she so wanted to do, she could possibly ruined her friends chance for true happiness. _But by making her happy, I make myself miserable. God,_ she half prayed,_ why does this have to be so hard! Is there anyway we can both get what we want…? I didn't think so._

"Is something wrong Mimi?" Sora asked, truly concerned, as she pulled away from their embrace enough to see the tears coursing down her cheeks. _She doesn't even suspect…?_

"I'm fine, it's just… It's been so long."

__

*****

Sora watch as her friend wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. _I wonder if there's something wrong? This isn't the Mimi I remember. _She didn't miss how stiff she was in her arms either and gave her one last reassuring squeeze before releasing her completely. Mimi immediately took two steps away from her and inhaled to speak. She let her.

"Sora I… I'm really happy to hear about you and Yamato." Sora tried to keep the tears from resurfacing, struggling to force the knot back down in her throat, and appear calm to her friend.

"Yeah, well, things aren't going so well between us." She said, choking the words out despite her best efforts. She saw her flinch. _Something _is_ wrong!_

"Mimi, are you okay?" Sora asked, letting a note of worry creep into her voice. She stiffened and took a step back, but her face -still in the pale blue light while the rest of her body disappeared into the shadows- remained calm and compassionate.

"What do you mean?" She asked, tilting her head to the side with a light laugh, "of course I'm okay" then she stopped and looked at her seriously. "Shouldn't I be asking you that? What kind of trouble are you two having?" For a moment, Sora thought she'd heard mockery in the question, as if it had been meant to hurt and had the wild thought that Mimi was her enemy and rival. She'd never been very good at reading people, but as the thought ran through her head, she swore she saw a sad hatred in her best friend's eyes. _Best friend's eyes… _Thinking that last part, she crushed the idea. _Mimi's my best friend, why would she hate me?_

"I think he's been having an affair with another woman and he wants to call off the wedding." Sora whispered, suddenly ashamed of admitting that she couldn't even keep her fiancé interested in her. Mimi laughed, though it sounded nervous and uncertain.

"Why would you say that?" she asked a little stiffly and once again the thought that Mimi was her rival crossed her mind and she had a moment of panic where all she wanted to do was run away and hide.

"Well… I uh… I'm not really sure where the thought came from, it was just that he seems distant now, like he doesn't care as much anymore and that's the only thing I can think of." Sora said lamely. Mimi flashed her a reassured smile.

"Sora, all guys have seconds thoughts before they get married, they think of it as the end of their freedom and wonder if it's worth it. In the end, most choose commitment over freedom cause they see that they can't live without that special person." Sora smiled back with a fondness she didn't feel at the moment.

"You're probably right, I guess I should talk to him again huh?" Mimi moved hesitantly out of the shadows and hugged her with a stiff confidence.

"That's the spirit girl, just let me soften him up a bit eh? Gently broach the subject of talking to you about his feelings cause you know, a marriage doesn't last long or end cleanly if the couple can't communicate." With a last smile over her shoulder, Mimi walked towards where Yamato was standing by the door, arms crossed and one heel propped against the wall, leaving Sora in the empty corner alone and wondering if she should allow Mimi to go over there with out an ear of her own in on the conversation.

__

*****

Yamato watched as Mimi walked slowly towards him, she'd been wearing a smile when she'd turned from Sora, but he could see the tears sparkling in her eyes and he wondered what they were talking about besides the obvious. She came up beside him and they watched couples dancing for a while before Yamato broke their uncomfortable silence.

"You go up again in a few minutes." He said uneasily, thinking that she must be mad at him for something since she wasn't talking and the tears were coursing down her face. She didn't answer and the silence lengthened until she sniffled and turned to him finally.

"Yamato, will you try to make her happy?" For a moment, the question didn't seem to make any sense to him until he looked into Mimi's eyes and realized that the future of his friendship with her and the group rested on the answer. He thought about it, about how much he loved Mimi and how much he cared for Sora, he didn't want to hurt either of them, but who ever he chose, he'd be hurting Mimi. Finally, he decided on the only one he could.

"I'll try." He whispered, feeling like crying himself.

"Talk to her," Mimi said, a fresh tear trailing down her face, "tell her that you were just scared about the wedding, don't tell her about us, just lie, whatever'll make her happy." Yamato nodded and then cupped her face in both hands and brushed the tears from her face with his thumbs. Conscious of Sora's eyes on them, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and then released her, running a hand unnoticed through her short, pink streaked hair and then turned her towards the portable stage as the DJ motioned her back up. He gazed at her, as she stood in front of the microphone, her hair curled under to rest on her shoulders, eyes closed and sparkling blue eye shadow winking in the light. Her white spaghetti strap shirt glowed purple in the black lights placed all around the gym and her black pants were tight on her long, slender legs until they flared out at the bottom with blue flames twisting up to her knees. He tore his eyes away from Mimi to look at Sora with her plain button-up, long-sleeved blue blouse and gray skirt that went down to her just above her knees.

Sighing to himself, he walked across the room to where she was standing alone, her arms crossed over her chest as if she was cold though the room felt stiflingly hot to him. He stopped and stood a few feet from her, close enough to reach a hand out and touch her face but far enough away to avoid any accidental contact. They looked at each other for a while as Mimi stayed silent on stage and the room began to get impatient. Finally, as he'd wanted, Sora spoke up first.

"I'm sorry I accused you of sleeping around Yamato." She said, her soprano voice quivering. "I never should have said something that I didn't know anything about." They were both quite for a minute and then she poke again. "Please Yamato, I'm sorry." Tears came to her eyes and Yamato relaxed.

"It's okay Sora," he started "I shouldn't have been so cruel, I was just… just… I got cold feet I guess." He finished lamely for lack of a better excuse. Sora smiled then nodded before they both looked to Mimi, Sora reaching out and placing a small hand in his as Mimi finally started the song called _The Dance_, Yamato was feeling like he'd just made the worst mistake of his life as he thought back to how perfect being with Mimi had felt when they'd danced at the restaurant_. Our last dance._

__

"Looking back, on the memory of-

The dance we shared, 'neath the stars above-

For a moment, all the world was right-

How could I have known, that you'd ever say goodbye"

"And now I'm glad I don't know-

The way it all would end, the way it all would go-

Our lives, are better left to chance, I could have missed the pain-

But I'd of had to miss the dance"

"Holding you, I held everything-

For a moment, wasn't I a queen-

But if I'd only known, how this queen would fall-

Hey who's to say, you know I might have changed it all"

"And now I'm glad I don't know-

The way it all would end, the way it all would go-

Our lives, are better left to chance, I could have missed the pain-

But I'd of had to miss the dance."

"Yes My life, is better left to chance-

I could have missed the pain-

But I'd of had to miss the dance"


End file.
